Saturday, April 25, 2009

Norfolk Island

Hosting a RR on the postcrossing forum often gives me opportunity to receive cards from very rare countries :) Honestly, I wouldn't believe it if someone told me that I was going to receive a card from Norfolk Island really sent from there. I think I had heard the name of this island before, but I didn't know anything more about it. I've been interested in geography since early childhood, but there are so many small islands on the Pacific Ocean that I just can't remember all of them. I only know the ones that are independent countries, because at age of 7 or 8 I decided to learn names of all independent countries and their capitals... And I still remember them :) But Norfolk Island is an external territory of Australia with population of just 2141 people, so I think it's not very surprising that not everyone knows it :)

This postcard shows the St. Barnabas Chapel, which was consecrated in 1880. According to Jillian, who sent me this postcard, the stained glass windows and the organ were all shipped out from England. It must have been quite a fear to get them onto the island, as there's no harbour!

Norfolk Island (Norfuk: Norfuk Ailen) is a small island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. It and two neighbouring islands form one of Australia's external territories.

The Norfolk Island pine, a symbol of the island pictured in its flag, is an evergreen tree native to the island and is quite popular in Australia, where two related species also grow.

Norfolk Island is located in the South Pacific Ocean, east of the Australian mainland. Norfolk Island is the main island of the island group the territory encompasses. It has an area of 34.6 km² (13.3 mi²), with no large-scale internal bodies of water but 32 km of coastline. The island's highest point is Mt Bates (319 m above sea level), located in the northwest quadrant of the island. The majority of the terrain is suitable for farming and other agricultural uses. Phillip Island, the second largest island of the territory, is located seven kilometres south of the main island.

The climate is subtropical and mild, with little seasonal differentiation. The island is the eroded remnant of a basaltic volcano active around 2.3 to 3 million years ago, with inland areas now consisting mainly of rolling plains. It forms the highest point on the Norfolk Ridge, part of the submerged continent Zealandia.